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The Freedom of Choice!

A New Year to make big, new, exciting changes to better ourselves, to make better choices, stop habits and sticking to it! that’s the idea isn’t it? making the choice?

Aren’t we lucky to be able to have the choice to change things when we are not happy with something? or to make things that little bit better?

Change isn’t always easy which can often lead to old habits creeping in… sometimes we resort to the old ways because it’s easier, or everyone else is doing it or that’s just the way it is, but just because it is the way it’s always been doesn’t mean it should be, does it?

Year on year we get a lot of customers asking us about having to make the choice about their children starting nursery school. When we ask them why they would consider it they have a lot of different reasons: some because of money, some because of school enrolment and some because of starting them early into academic environments.

But did you know that Juniors actually runs an accredited curriculum in our Preschool? yep, that’s right, we always had!

Now, We did attempt to get free Preschool placements within Juniors for a VERY long time but unfortunately the Board do not give out to any new settings established after 2005, sad that isn’t it? Kids should be allowed to take their placement anywhere they choose but that is just the way it is – as we were told.

Irrelevant to ALL THAT, we carried out a survey on the top 3 reasons for sending children to a Nursery school / Prepaid preschool placement setting over our alternative education to see what we could do to to change the mindset:

Day Care is too expensive– We are actually over £700 cheaper a year when all of the additional costs to nursery are added up. (You can request this info from us)

Their siblings did it/ a friend told me I had to– That maybe the case but it’s not actually the law (In fact – the law states that ‘The parent of every child of compulsory school age (4yrs before 1st July for starting in September of the same year) shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise (alternative education/homeschooling)

To get them into the school– Also, this is a non statutory criteria and it is well down the selection for enrolment.

However choosing an alternative education over a mainstream education can seem a little like ‘breaking from the system’, However, helping a child build the foundation for emotional and mental health and well being over academics has proven to be more effective for their all round development and in no way hinders effectiveness when it comes to their learning. In fact; it encourages them to embrace it.

In order to change something for the better instead of keeping it ‘The way it has always been‘ , we thought we would help you become more aware of your options when it comes to your child’s learning, well being and growth because;We are the alternative…

JUNIOR VARSITY is a Highscope curriculum Preschool facility that allows children to ask questions, share their thoughts, ideas and challenge their thinking and creativity in a safe adult supporting child led environment.

We believe that a child led preschool provides physical, constructional and social play support to children in developing their skills of intellectual and emotional ‘self-regulation’, skills which are crucial in early learning and development.

For more information on this or to request our Junior Varsity Prospectus 2018 please send us an email or telephone us on 028 82257021. If you decide to apply for a placement at Junior Varsity for September which is fully inclusive and minus payment for our closures; the first 10 applicants will be entered into a competition for a JMG funded scholarship, Imagine that! One free year of education.

By choosing something different, YOU could help others break free from the norm! 🙂